GROSS

10.23.12

Fungus Found at Meningitis Pharmacy

Jared Wickerham / Getty Images

The blame game over the meningitis outbreak in the U.S. is getting simpler. Visible black specks of fungus have now been found in steroids made by the New England Compounding Center, the pharmacy linked to the outbreak, according to Massachusetts state officials. The investigation also revealed that contaminated drugs were sent out before sterility test results were returned, and that unclean conditions at the center included a leaking boiler near its “clean room.” Ten more people have been diagnosed with fungal meningitis, bringing the grand total of cases up to 308—including the first case in Georgia, which becomes the 17th state to report an infection. Thus far, the outbreak has killed 23 people.